Recently during a presentation a teacher raised his hand and asked what is a fairly common question.
“Look, I agree with most of what you’re saying, but I’ve got kids in my class who don’t have the devices, who don’t have the access,” he said. “What are we supposed to do when every student can’t do this?”
I could hear in the voice of the questioner that this lack of access was offered not as a problem to solve but as a reason for inaction, an excuse to maintain the status quo. Normally, the answer I give to that question includes the words “moral imperative” and “digital divide” or some other fairly typical phraseology that tries to honor the challenge, but this time, for some reason, I just looked at the person and said “Great question. How you going to fix that?”
Silence.
I think that’s going to be my new strategy, actually, for all of the “yeah buts.”
“My students’ parents don’t approve of these technologies.” I hear ya’. How you gonna fix that?
“I don’t have time to do all of this.” That is a problem. What are you going to do about that?
“My superintendent/principal/supervisor doesn’t have a vision for these types of changes.” Yeah, that stinks. So, how you gonna help her with that?
We say we want our kids to be problem solvers, but all too often, when faced with the challenges of a changing educational landscape, we don’t offer solutions. Instead, we offer excuses as to why we shouldn’t solve the problem, why it’s better to just keep on keepin’ on. And solving these problems is getting easier and easier, actually, as more and more schools have already done the heavy lifting to find and implement solutions. It’s not like anyone needs to reinvent the wheel any more. And it’s also not like you need a solution overnight, either. Frame the problem, create a timeline and a process, and have at it. If you had say, two years, is there really NO way to solve that access problem?
I know at some level you have to see all of this as a “problem” to solve. You have to REALLY want those kids to have access. You have to look at the world and the ways in which information and communication are changing, and the ways that online communities and networks are becoming powerful learning opportunities, and the move to digital texts and products and look at your school and classroom and have that “Houston, we have a problem moment.” But once you do that, it becomes your problem to solve, not someone else’s.
So yeah, you’ve got challenges. What are you gonna do about it?
Right on, Will.
Great point, it’s not a problem until you can offer a solution, right?
Become a part of the conversations, even if just initially it’s to be there and listen.
What a great way to put it! We have to take action, be the problem-solvers that our students need to become to be successful in the 21st century. If we are willing to become passive in the face of new challenges, then that is what they will become, but if they see us taking on each new problem, then they just might be willing to try it themselves.
We set up Problem-Solving activities for them, because that is the latest buzz, but if we aren’t willing to experience the stress, frustration and vulnerability of that kind of learning, we will do a very poor job of shepherding them through the challenges it presents.
I have often thought of using something like this as an answer to those same questions and obstacles to change. I always hesitated thinking that it was too large a voice of opposition to take on with a simple answer, but you are right. If it is a problem and an obstacle to moving forward, fix it, because we are moving forward if it is fixed or not. As the train leaves the station you(or your students) can be on it or waving good-bye!
Thanks for this.
Will,
Thanks for the post. People want to be empowered until that empowerment falls on their doorstep. It is absolutely time that the folks closest to the students begin to problem solve the issues that have been heard for years-to become leaders-to enlist the students as partners to develop strategies.
Absolutely agree. Teachers, especially science, math, etc. need to step up and *model* problem-solving skills for their students; use them so they know how to solve problems too!
Something about teaching as a profession means teachers need to be professional. . . students’ deficiencies are not an excuse not to teach!
Yes. As I browse more and more of the PLP projects, I have glimpses of hope–people who are “not going to take it anymore.” Reminds me of Tribes, too, and how I was so motivated by the concept of not waiting to be told to lead–just leading.
Thank you for pushing back on this one, so many people dance around the problem. Education has to hear this answer. This question always comes up in similar conversations. Your absolutely right. No one is going to grant us with a magical solution, we are going to have to just hunker down and solve the problem.
Excellent point Will.
We often want others to solve our problems.
We don;t like being taken out of our comfort zone.
The first step to solving a problem is to identify it, so hopefully we are taking (at least) those first steps.
Great insight!
You just gave me the perfect answer/question for my upcoming summer institutes!
I see this as giving an opportunity to faculty to apply critical thinking and creativity in searching for a solution.
Thanks!
Will-
Couldn’t agree more. As a relatively new administrator I deal daily with issues, and how those issues are communicated makes a world of difference.
Are you complaining? (Telling me a problem, with no suggestions/alternatives, and expecting me to fix the problem)
OR
Are you communicating an issue (and offering a possible remedy, and being part of the conversation of how to address the issue?)
I’ll tell you there is a massive difference between these two approaches and the resulting actions.
“There are very few problems that we cannot solve together, and very few we can solve by ourselves.” – Lyndon Johnson.
Here is a teacher (having just finished her first year teaching) that understands the we need to see opportunities, not obstacles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kowGRhWAJeM
If you are in a rush, start at the 2:50 mark.
~Dave.
A year or so ago, I finally got sick of the question, “Yeah, but standards…” Now, I lead most of my presentations with a two slides — one with an image of teachers asking “What about standards and tests?” and the second a single slide showing multiple citations for research that says the approach works (usually related to inquiry) and improves test scores. That seemed to stop the question with most groups.
Would you be willing to share these slides?
Its always very easy to walk away from the problem when you don’t accept ownership. Sometimes you need to ask for help outside of the “brick and mortar” and shed the “no” responses and generate a call list and pound the pavement. You ask enough people for help, someone will step up and lend a hand.
Students need to see teachers struggle with problems too.
Great point. NO MORE EXCUSES! Just get it done already. We’re getting no where fast with the all the barriers – it’s time that we become part of the solution – and to be sure we aren’t part of the problem.
“Twitter is over capacity” for a moment there. I hope part of the explanation for that is retweets of this excellent insight.
This is not not “passing the buck” it’s giving a justified incentive for action.
Think this question was posed at your presentation at my school yesterday. But it could have been at almost any school in this country. You are right we have to stop finding reasons why something won’t or can’t work; we need to instead model brainstorming solutions. I will say that sometimes people pose a problem because they haven’t been able to find a solution. The question may not be posed as a reason to not move forward but may instead be a plea to help find solutions to the problem. So when people say yes but, it should be an oppportunity to say yes there are buts let’s put our heads together and start brainstorming some ways we can reach a solution that can work for many if not all of us.
Great point, Will. I would imagine that you’ll get more silence in the future with this response, even though it’s the right one. I’ll be interested to hear how the responses eventually change (hopefully) when people start taking ownership of their own challenges. See you at ISTE next week.
Here’s a related post from awhile back that was initially inspired by a presentation you gave.
What Is Your Yeah, But …
What about getting the yeah, buts on the table toward the beginning, but in a parking lot to be dealt with a specific point? This could fit with de Bono’s red and black hats, but lead nicely to green hat thinking to creatively address the problems.
de Bono’s Thinking Hats
Who was it that said, “we’ve admired the problem for long enough. Now, who has a solution?”
Back as an 8th grader in the early 1980’s we had weekly current events assignments. We had to cut out a newspaper article and write about it. Naturally, everyone’s looked the same and we were “learning”. The social studies teacher expected me to complete the weekly assignment even though I had no access to the newspaper. No subscription coming to home, no neighbors who got the paper, etc. I could have asked my parents to drive me to the library where I could photocopy an article, but that was inconvenient for them.
So, as you suggest here, I fixed it. I biked all the way up to the store, bought the paper, and completed the assignment … every week. The teachers did not care that some of us had no access to the newspaper. We were expected to get it done regardless.
Same is true today with some of the excuses made with regard to use of tech in (and out of) schools. No access to devices, web, etc. – fix it. No time to learn it – fix it. I think ultimately part of the problem with Will’s response, which is a good one, is that many teachers don’t want to fix the problems nor want to give input on how to fix them. I see teachers who don’t want to have mobile devices used in their classes. They will fight any attempts at “fixing” the access problem to mobile devices in their schools.
Will,
Another cause of the problem you accurately describe is rooted in the incrementalism of what you’re asking the teachers to do. I would strongly suggest that you pull the cord tighter between where you’d like teachers to go and where they are. As I said at NECC last year, “If the level of resistance to change remains constant, no matter what we ask of teachers, then shouldn’t we raise our expectations substantially?”
Transcript here – http://bit.ly/aX5QtP
John Taylor Gatto would suggest that one of the lessons of schooling is helplessness. It’s one of the things students learn best through our modeling.
Gatto also points out that there is a difference between being childish and childlike. Schools tend to be childish places, for adults and children alike, when they should be childlike.
Yahoo Will !!!! This is an awesome response. As a technology integrator at my school, most teachers run to me to “solve” their problems with technology. Some of them they really need my help with but some of them they can solve on their own.
I now have a response for the nay sayers.
My new line is going to be
“How are YOU going to fix that?”
We have a culture of helplessness among many of our students – created by teachers. I started using that line this past year with my students in response to things such as “I can’t find my journal.” “I left my novel at home.” My mantra became: “What are YOU going to do about it?” I think I’ll move on to using it with colleagues (and myself)!
When you present to our school division in August I would LOVE for you to use this blog post in part of your speech. I believe that many teachers need to hear the message
“How are you going to fix that!!!?”
The only tweak I will use is how are “we” going to fix that? Part of my job is to support teachers, but I love the concept. Students should be asked the same question.
Excellent point, Deron. Hope more principals join you in that.
Excellent post. I made myself a t-shirt that I wore to the CUE Conference this year that had “No excuses!” on the back, so I guess you could say I agree 100%. 😉
Sounds a lot like “Love and Logic” to me! We empower these folks when we give them hope to being able to solve the problem. Since this is such a huge problem that can seem too big to solve, you may consider trying to offer suggestions of things they can try (another great “Love and Logic” tool). It might sound something like starting with an understanding statement (lead with Empathy) “Man, that stinks, how do you think you could solve that problem?” This will certainly be followed by uncertainty or silence. You could then reply “Would you like some suggestions of things other folks in your situation have tried?”
Just a suggestion…you are right on the money with your statements…but until we empower folks to take this on (maybe with a little support) it’s never going to get done.
Thanks for sharing! PS – this strategy works great with kids!!!
Fantastic post, Will. I’d love to see it in action.
And, of course, it serves as great moral support for using this approach myself. It feels appropriately scary. 🙂
Will, this resonated with me a LOT. That said, I want to push back a little bit…
Deming and others noted long ago that many of the problems that we have with individuals are the result of the system in which they reside. In other words, we need to focus on the system more than any individual’s responses or behavior.
We cannot ignore the fact that, unfortunately, many educators work in extremely disempowering environments. Exhorting or challenging them to be change agents from below only gets so far. The reality is that administrative superiors, entrenched bureaucracies, inflexible mindsets of peers, resource challenges, and other factors severely constrain their ability to “just fix it,” no matter how inclined they may be in this direction. I can think of several large urban districts that I’ve worked with, for example, in which teachers’ responses to the “just solve it” approach would be dismissive eye-rolling as they wrote you off as just another pie-in-the-sky, unrealistic education reformer in a long stream of such outsiders.
I’m not trying to make excuses for inaction. Just noting that the challenges are often so great that folks are rational to feel disempowered.
Exactly, we’re just the guys in the engine room. You need to be talking to the guys driving the boat.
Scott and Will, I agree with both of you. I, like Will, grow weary of teachers not taking action. I sometimes get annoyed with conferences and even things such as #edchat because I am not convinced teachers, administrators, and district leaders are taking action in their local districts with the stuff they are learning.
However, I also agree with Scott. I see many teachers who are excited about 21st century tools and skills. BUT we have to remember that many of those teachers who are getting excited now about 21st century learning are “newbies” to the concept even though they may have been teaching for years. This 21st century discussion has been going on for sometime, but the word is still getting out and gaining strength. I think it’s only fair that we understand that these “new” teachers DO feel empowered but they feel trapped in a system that is very hard to dig out of it or start over in.
I agree that teachers need to take action and stop using excuses for inactivity, but we as teacher leaders have to empower those teachers who feel trapped to take action. It is still up to teacher leaders like those reading this blog to help “new” teachers navigate their way out of the
Awesome, so we invalidate rational concerns so we do not have to deal with them. The question was legitimate. How?
I can see the Coast Guard sailing up to a sinking burning ship and telling the family over the loudspeaker, “How are YOU going to fix this?”
Fun response Matt…got a chuckle. I don’t believe that public education is a sinking burning ship… (unlike Glenn Beck) and that there are some answers that can be found with by excercising a little effort. Maybe there are some trade offs for acquiring different materials. In my school, teachers have had BrainPop funded by the local PTA…this year they couldn’t afford it. As the library media specialist, I gave up buying the second half of the year AR tests (yeah) and a small books-on-CD order and purchased BrainPop instead. I then bargained with the PTA rep to purchase those books-on-CD in the fall when they were a little more “flush.” I was able to get to iPod touches out of some end of the year supply money. Not a whole classroom set, but a little to get some things going. One of our kindergarten teachers received a $3000 EdMinnesota grant and then got different community groups to pitch in from $50 to $500 to purchase more iPods…after the grant runs its course the iPods are still there. Just some thoughts
Ha! No, public education is not the metaphorical ship. I was just using that example to show how futile it is to tell someone who’s facing a serious problem that they are completely on their own.
Ignoring funding concerns, administrative policies, and other “excuses for inaction” is not going to work. If we ignore these valid complaints, we risk excluding ourselves from serious discussion and development of ideas with our education leaders.
I don’t think anyone is advocating ignoring complaints or concerns. The idea is not to let those complaints or concerns be the stopping point. Instead of “Well, my administrator said we can’t afford it, so that’s that…”, instead think “Well, my administrator said we can’t afford it, so let me think of some creative ways to find funding.”
I tried for almost 3 years to get Google Apps for Education approved at my school. I ran into every possible excuse and roadblock why it “wouldn’t work” for us. I chipped away at each one. Eventually, I won out. We had Google Apps this entire school year (for teachers and admins) and it’s been wonderful. It solved so many of the tech related issues we were having, and all those “excuses” were just that: excuses. There was never a valid reason, just lots of valid-sounding reasons (ie, roadblocks).
Bravo Will! As a tech PD provider, I too get those yeah but questions all the time, and my answer is always the old “if not you, then who” come back. We have to get teachers to feel empowered to confront the naysayers by organizing as a collective body within their schools and districts to force change to occur. And you’re right — it is our moral imperative to do so.
Can you we go one step further…
if a student comments that he/she cannot do the assignment or cannot participate because he/she does not have access or does not have the software, can I reply: “So, how are you going to fix that?” …
Now you’re just being mean. This is meant to be directed at admins.
Students without home access to the Internet or the software is a valid concern for many teachers, but if teachers are assigning projects that require such access, IMHO it is their responsibility to make sure that was covered in the first place. If there are computer workstations or laptops available in the classroom, open the room and extend class hours early in the morning, during lunch break or after school. Offer days in the week where students who need the access can come in and do the work their, or provide a little class time for everyone to work on their projects. Just a few ideas!
Great comment.
Just wanted to share an article from last month’s Economist. Particularly paragraph 2.
http://www.economist.com/node/16109292
You brought up a very good point. Too often people expect others to solve their problems. You raised a great issue!
Thank you for writing this. You kicked me in the butt to finally write about a great sign the art teacher made for me with the words, “What are you going to do?”
I just blogged about it here: http://principalspov.blogspot.com/2010/06/what-are-you-going-to-do-21.html
Right on! Too many of us pass the blame bucket around. It’s easier to complain and let others try to solve the problem. If you want something done, just do it!!! It doesn’t matter if it’s not the perfect answer on the first try. I think any honest attempt at solving the problem is better than not trying at all.
Just like my favorite bumper sticker says, “Just say no to negativity.” Thanks for the great idea in a nutshell!
All change is incremental and the best way to effect change is to be the change you wish to see. I had been advocating for cell phones in educational settings for four years. For a couple of years teachers and administrators resisted. Then one my high school principal said, I want you to teach a course that will prepare students to use cell phones and other new technology safely. The story is way more complex than what I will write here, but this summer I’m going to be teaching a staff development class to teachers about educational uses of cell phones in classrooms. This fall I’ll begin my second year of teaching students how to use cell phones. Our school policy at this point is still against cell phones but I expect that will change sooner rather than later. In the words of Chip and Dan Heath, you need to speak to the rider, excite the rider (staff development) and shape the path. That will make a “Switch” possible. Don’t give up, but realize that all change is difficult and incremental.
I hope you don’t mind a bit of pushback in the interests of what I think is a very useful discussion.
I generally think that if I can do something about a problem, then I probably should. Lately though I’ve been saying (in my head, at least) “not my problem to solve” on occasion. Why? A variety of reasons.
First of all, some problems are systemic, and systemic problems often require systemic solutions. Trying to find ways to “make it work” in spite of problems with the system might seem like a good idea in the short term, but I wonder whether sometimes these efforts don’t hide the fact that there is a fairly large problem that needs dealing with.
Secondly, while I *hate* people who walk around saying “not my job”, I sometimes think they have a point. If a problem is someone’s job to solve, am I making things more difficult by inserting myself into the situation, however good my intentions may be? Am I stepping on toes? Am I exceeding my authority? And while I know the public education system’s main goal isn’t to provide people with employment, in a unionized workplace is it appropriate to be doing someone else’s job?
Finally… “if you end up doing two things at once, you end up doing neither very well”. Not sure where that quote comes from, but the question is, is it better to try to do many things somewhat effectively, or to do a few things very well? Do we do anyone a service if we attempt so much that we are marginal at everything?
As I said, I agree with the general sentiment – we should all take ownership for making things better, we should be more self-reliant – but I wonder whether sometimes it’s a bit more complicated than that.
The response that I am commenting off has put it much more kindly than I am about to:
The businessman in educational motivation (tech, curriculum, etc) says “Teacher, I have a solution to your problem!”
but sir, says the teacher, “There is a problem with your solution!”
The businessman says “I’m sorry, teacher, YOU will have to fix that!”
No, Mr. Educational Motivation Speaker/Writer/Philospher/Blogger, I do not have to fix that. I do not have to implement your solution. I do not have to correct my thinking to make your techniques work, and I will not be convinced by your certainty that your tech/curriculum/philosophies are best if I will just work harder at my job.
This is 2010. Districts have IT depts with professionals and caring teachers with credentials-I don’t see your credentials (educational/technical)posted on the website. Smug, simplistic blog posts from an educational businessman(along with the standard quote on book/website from an “expert” how the speaker/writers practices will save your obviously boring and useless classroom)only reinforce the fact that maybe teachers are questioning your solution because it is not a REAL one? Could it be? Maybe you need to think about working harder, educational motivational speaker/blogger/philosopher?
Whoa. Why the anger? And did you read the same post the rest of these folks read?
Since you asked…22 years as a public school teacher, 3 years as a technology supervisor. Holder of still active English teacher, supervisor, principal and superintendent certifications in New Jersey. M.A. in Teaching. The experience in the classroom and working with teachers…priceless. The certificates and the M.A.? Pretty much useless.
I’m not suggesting the answers or fixes are easy. I’m just saying that if we think that having a device and regular Internet access is an important part of being a learner in 2010, we need to make that happen, not just accept not having it and use it as an excuse for not going there.
Of course, if you don’t think that, well I can think of lots of clearer, more meaningful ways to make that argument than the above.
And by the way, no amount of technology is going to save “boring, useless” classrooms, which, just to be clear, are your words, not mine.
You should read your site more carefully:
“His work has moved classrooms across America from boring, uninteresting rooms filled with the drone of irrelevant information to beehives of interactivity!”
Did you not choose this quote from Sheryl R. Abshire to adorn your Keynotes and Workshops page?
Did you not then write an oversimplistic, finger-wagging blog post that castigates teachers for asking how your methods and suggestions will be implemented in REAL scenarios involving issues like time and money and district support? No excuses! Work harder!
Would your keynotes and workshops sell as well if your website advertising and blogging posed direct insult or cast suspicious and condemning question on district administrators who control such issues as time and money and support? They are, after all, the ones who purchase your services and wares, not teachers.
You have solutions? Ok. Do teachers,administrators, and businessmen like yourself want the same success for students and access to tech and curriculum and funds? Yes. But do you have to follow the march of so many educational motivational circuit-riders who so baldly belittle teachers so that they may enhance their own offerings?
Take down the quote I have mentioned and the blog post, and I will be satisfied that you have chosen to put respect for a teacher’s professional concerns and classroom communities above business.
Well said. I’ll be sure to use that line myself soon.
Thank you. This is made my day at the ISTE conference. Some passed it forward. Now I know how to deal with the reluctant teachers I work with.
Just found your blog and on the strength of this post alone, I had to add you to my google reader. Amen brother! There are always going to be reasons against innovation, but at a certain point we need to stop making excuses and get to work already.
Yes, we must solve the problem; offer solutions and not just sit around thinking of all the negatives/problems that could occur but take it to the next step and be proactive. We know what could happen so now we must act. So, I agree, let’s get rid of the “Yeah, but..” questions.
Will:
I have used this video kind of tongue-in-cheek…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ScvAJG51V4
The Chicago Way…
Will, right on! Here at Apple we have a saying that goes,” yes, and…”! It’ time to practice what we preach and help figure these things out by looking at the positive. As educators we truly work in a problem-based environment. Yet most don’t really know it.
Ahem!
“My superintendent/principal/supervisor doesn’t have a vision for these types of changes.†Yeah, that stinks. So, how you gonna help her with that?”
“Her”?! “Her”?! There are a whole pile of male dominated managements out there, who have no IT vision, feel “too old” to deal with that stuff – yeah I know – How am I going to fix that? Well a lot of people are giving it a go, but an older woman with good IT skills is considered highly suspicious – she must be a witch!